DeAngelo Hall: Mike Shanahan handcuffed Jim Haslett

The Redskins defense was not a strong suit last season, leading to some surprised reactions about their decision to bring Jim Haslett back for another year as their defensive coordinator.

One of Haslett’s charges thinks that the move has the potential to be a good one because Haslett will be able to run his defense without any interference from former head coach Mike Shanahan. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall said on ESPN 980, via Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post, that Shanahan “liked to micromanage things” and that he’s excited to see Haslett “unleash his full arsenal of play calls” thanks to Jay Gruden’s different style.

“And like I told Haz years ago, when I was kind of getting handcuffed as a player, I told him I understand you’re getting handcuffed as a coach,” Hall said. “Imagine how I feel as a player being told that I have to do something a certain way, because I’ve always stressed to people that playing corner, it’s chess. It’s not let me stand right here and you catch this ball. … So Haz definitely understood where I was coming from as a player. And I felt him, because he definitely as a coach needs to be able to kind of play chess with the other coordinator too.”

It will help if Haslett is playing chess with a full complement of pieces rather than a slew of pawns and a couple of battered rooks, something that the Redskins will try to address in free agency with a fuller pocketbook than they’ve had at their disposal in recent years.

I live in the DC area and they are blaming everything on Mike Shanahan, including all the scouts being handcuff too. It’s comical.

It really sad, because Jay Gruden was hired so he could keep some of the coaches like Haslett, fo noother reason to save money. (Gruden and Haslett use to work together, which is why he would accept that).

“Imagine how I feel as a player being told that I have to do something a certain way, because I’ve always stressed to people that playing corner, it’s chess. It’s not let me stand right here and you catch this ball.”

Hey! Meangelo. What you’re being told to do is play defense. Chess?! This guy thinks he’s playing chess when he’s really playing Tiddly Winks.

If mike Shanahan was a micromanager (which I heard prior to the redskins), then shouldnt people in DC be in the right to blame everything on Shanahan? Doesn’t that sort of thing go with putting your hands into everything?

I’m waiting to read that Shanahan was responsible for the gridlock in congress too. Sheesh. Talk about scapegoating. He’s gone now, so lets see what happens next year. Can’t blame him then if you have crummy players, draft poorly, sign FA’s to silly contracts and your stars don’t live up to billing – in 2014.

Between his silly penalties, sometimes brash nature (especially earlier in his career), and reputation as a gambling CB, I understand why Hall gets a lot of flack. It’s easy to criticize him as overrated “Me-Angelo.”

But don’t let that cloud your judgement of his on-field production.

Let’s compare his stats with Nnamdi A. and Dunta Robinson. Nnamdi came into league in 2004, Hall and Robinson in 2004–and all got paid big money deals.

The stats speak for themselves, and it’s not even close. Sure, there are multiple sides to every story, and Hall has gotten beat his fair share, but he has also produced 65 turnovers (INTs, FF’s, FR’s). Many coaches believe winning the turnover battle is the most important statistic that determines the difference between winning and losing.

Why are there so many D Hall haters and especially coming from Skins fans? D Hall is every bit as good as any DB in the NFL if the D has any type of a pass rush. He possesses leadership and passion not to mention freakish athleticism. That’s the type of player I want on my squad. Do any of the haters actually watch the games and see all the plays he makes? Dude shuts down Dez Bryant twice a year and totally gets into his head. Just for that I want him back.